


Sanctuary

by hanzhoe



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, If Enough People Like It I Might Make It Longer?, M/M, gender neutral reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 19:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15274878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanzhoe/pseuds/hanzhoe
Summary: You inherited and run what is possibly the only establishment in Europe that marks a safe haven for all Supernatural beings.He is curious.A companionship occurs.





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> I chose to have his name as 'Gabriel' for the moment but honestly, let's work off the idea that his name is double-barrelled. That way all canons are repped.

The oils were bespelled so only the supernatural could read the terms required to stay at the inn. To everyone else the painting behind your counter was just unsettling, although they could never pinpoint why such a serene landscape made them want to hide away in their rooms for the rest of their stay.

"How did you come by it?" Asked the man clad in black and too tall by half for the chair he resolutely sat in beside an unlit fire. You looked up from cleaning the desk that separated the two of you, eyes locking with his red ones a moment before you followed his gaze over your shoulder to the picture and then back to him. The rag you were cleaning with was set down and you spat a few stray hairs from your mouth, leaning your elbows against the countertop as your memories took you back.

"It was handed down to me." You answered simply, cocking a brow. "Just like this inn. Just like my magic."

"Just like your multitudinous responsibilities as the sole provider of safe haven for creatures of the night in this country." The man added, the graveness in his voice offset slightly by the crossing of his legs where he narrowly avoided sending the low table between his chair and the empty one opposite into the fireplace. Despite his frequent visits, you'd never felt the need to rearrange the furniture to better accommodate him. You resolved that to change, for your furniture's sake if nothing else.

"Now, now, Gabriel," You chided, picking up the rag once more and working a particularly stubborn acid burn in the wood back to something more presentable, "I'm but a simple innkeep." Your eyes darted up from your hands to his and pinned him to his seat through your lashes, "I've no business knowing words like _multitudinous_."

And there it was. The sly smile that kept the Lord of Darkness, the King of the Night, the Father of All Vampires returning to sit in a corner chair too small, in a building too plain, in a village too intolerant. Your lips curved just _so_ , a blunt, human incisor flashing and your eyes sparkling. If he didn't know any better he'd say you were mocking him, but he did and you weren't. What you were, however, was _flirting_.

Perhaps it was his age, perhaps it was the weight of previous losses, but he broke eye contact with a slight cough, casting his gaze to the cold logs of the fireplace and letting long black hair fall as a curtain between you as you returned to your work without pushing the matter, humming a light tune.

The fire had been roaring the first time he stopped here, curious and imperious in equal measure. He'd heard tales from others about a human, some sort of sorcerer, and their offer of shelter for non-humans. Naturally he'd been suspicious, in his experience no human truly meant 'shelter', but you'd greeted him, he'd read your not-unreasonable rules involving a preferable lack of murder on the premises, and he'd decided to monitor you and your practices.

The fire had been roaring, hot and brimming with memories of screams and tears, so he'd stayed over the far side of the room, looming in the corner like, you'd said later, a particularly imposing coat rack.

The next evening as he stepped over the eternally inviting threshold you'd looked up, seen him, and waved a hand at the fire, snuffing it out in a heartbeat.

Such a small act. Such a compassionate act.

With that gesture started a year and a half of what he sometimes felt was ill-advised companionship. Despite a long lifetime almost precluding it, he was aware of how attached he could get if he let himself and _oh_ , did he dance with letting himself, torn between what you both wanted and what he knew would befall you if he let that happen. So lost was he in his thoughts that it took him a moment to realise you'd stopped humming. Stopped cleaning too, if your presence sitting across from him was any indication--god's blood, how long had he been musing over your meeting?

You looked up from your book and over your glasses with thinly veiled amusement at his jolt out of reverie and took the opportunity to push a wine glass with something very pointedly _not_ red wine in it across the table between you.

"Drink." You said, smile softening along with the look in his eye. "You've not since you came here."

He took the glass and swirled the contents, this time maintaining your steady look as he took a sip. You didn't flinch at the act, unlike others. You never flinched. He'd watched you stare down warlocks and werewolves alike, spine ramrod straight and static electricity crackling from your fingertips as you set them to rights.

Magnificent. You were always magnificent.

And he was utterly enamoured.

"Thank you, my dear." He answered, toasting you and not letting the revelation pass his lips.

After all, what was a man but a miserable pile of secrets?

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a drabble for a friendly challenge, but I think if I and others like it enough I might pick it up as a series or multi-chapter. Tell me what you think! <3
> 
> you can find me on tumblr over [ Here](http://ofrawrites.tumblr.com/). i take requests and post smaller bits i don't feel warrant AO3 yet.


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